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WHAT IS AKASH MISSILE SYSTEM AND WHY IS IT CONSIDERED TO BE INDIA’S IRON DOME

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 1/4/2024 9:21:32 AM

New Delhi,Jan 03 Embarking on a journey of becoming a self-reliant nation, India is now gearing up to sell defence equipment to other countries. Taking a cue from the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas and Russia and Ukraine, several countries have shown interest in India’s homegrown surface-to-air missile (SAM) system Akash. This comes after the Akash missile system proved its potential to work as a vigorous air defence by nullifying four targets at once in a demonstration. Akash, a short-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, is India’s homegrown war equipment developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Produced by Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL), the missile system can protect vulnerable areas and points from air attacks. Emphasizing on its potential of killing multiple targets at once, the DRDO noted that India is the first country to develop such a sophisticated system. Key Features Of Akash Missile System, India's Iron Dome Featured with built-in Electronic Counter-Counter Measures (ECCM), which help the missile to get through enemy jamming and other methods of evasion. The Akash SAM is entirely mounted on mobile platforms that ease the movement and transportation of the equipment in quick time. The Akash mobile system further increases its survivability, by moving from one place to another after firing missiles and before the opponent can initiate a counterattack. It primarily uses anti-radiation missiles that home in on radar emissions. The missile system has the potential to hit the target at a range of 4.5 kilometers to 25 kilometers, with an effective altitude of 100 meters to 20 kilometres. Weighing around 710 kg, the missile has a length of 5,870 mm and a diameter of 350 mm. It is capable of neutralizing various types of incoming threats, such as fighter aircraft, helicopters, and UAVs and can engage multiple targets at the same time in group or autonomous mode. The missile is geared with Command Guidance, a fully automatic system that ensures a quick response time from target detection to kill. The open-system architecture of the missile ensures adaptability to existing and futuristic air defence environments. The India’s homegrown missile system poses high immunity against both active and passive jamming. Countries Willing To Invest In Akash SAM According to reports, several countries from South America, West Asia and Africa are eyeing India’s homegrown missile system to add it to their weaponry. Middle- income economies such as Brazil, the Philippines and Egypt are looking forward to investing in India’s ingeniously developed Akash missile system, which is believed to be equivalent to the Iron Dome of Israel.